Envoy Presses Syria Peace Talks Push in Oman

by Naharnet Newsdesk 22 October 2013, 19:37

U.N.-Arab League envoy Lakhdar Brahimi met the Omani foreign minister on Tuesday as he pressed a regional tour aimed at building support for a a Syria peace conference next month.

Brahimi arrived in Muscat on Tuesday afternoon from Kuwait, where he met Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Khaled al-Sabah, and is to fly on to Jordan on Wednesday, members of his team told Agence France Presse.

Omani Foreign Minister Yusuf bin Alawi told reporters that the sultanate would "make all possible efforts to contribute to a peaceful and speedy solution" to the Syrian conflict, which has killed 115,000 people since March 2011.

Brahimi visited Egypt on Sunday, where he met Arab League chief Nabil al-Arabi, and Iraq on Monday. He has said his tour will also take him to Iran, Qatar and Turkey as well as Syria itself.

The envoy has acknowledged that much work still needs to be done to prepare the planned peace conference, notably in securing a "credible opposition" presence.

At least one major opposition faction, the Syrian National Council (SNC), has already said it will not attend.

Source: Agence France Presse

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